From professional athletes to amateurs, athletes know that the quality of their game depends on the quality of their shoes.

In every sport, shoes are uniquely designed to give athletes the right combination of support, speed, visibility, and strength, maximizing their talents and ensuring that they can play a full game without any damaging side effects.

A Great Shoe Can Take Athletes to the Next Level

The options for athletes in every sport are numerous, with dozens of brands and hundreds of different shoes available at major retailers. Despite the various options available, however, each sport has one or two types of shoes that stand up to the rigors of intense competition and quick movement.

Best Shoes for Basketball: Nike Kyrie 2

Basketball shoes need to be supportive around the foot as well as the ankle, protecting against unwanted ankle sprains or bone fractures during a particularly contentious game.

Because basketball is a very fast-paced sport with ample running, the shoe must also be supportive through the arch of the foot and around the palm of the foot, providing good support at a fast pace.

The only shoe that truly fits the bill is Nike’s Kyrie 2, designed by an NBA and Olympic basketball player who knows a thing or two about good shoes on the court.

What Makes it so Great?

The Kyrie 2 provides midfoot support with a unique strap that wraps around the entire midfoot section, ensuring a tight fit between the sole, the foot, and the upper, that provides top-notch support while running the length of the court.

The Kyrie 2 also uses a unique mesh material that, while supportive, gives the foot room to breathe and makes for more comfortable competition during long periods. With ample ankle support, safety on the court is also a top priority of this shoe. Better yet, it’s already been worn and tested on NBA courts around the country.

Best Shoes for Football: Nike Vapor Carbon Fly 2 TD

America’s favorite game, and its rated televised sport, benefits from an astounding amount of high-tech development among available shoes.

The best one for the job is again from Nike. This time, it’s the Nike Vapor Carbon Fly 2 TD. The shoe is widely regarded as being the most aerodynamic football cleat on the market, with a unique, sweeping design that comes to a point at the toe and widens toward the back of the foot.

Design details along the sides of the shoe are designed only to enhance its aerodynamic design and on-the-field prowess.

What Makes it so Great?

As its name might suggest, this shoe also uses carbon fiber materials in its construction. Carbon fiber was chosen because of its exceedingly strong construction and lightweight design.

The shoe is therefore almost “invisible” on the field, with a design that is among the lightest from any major manufacturer. The design’s dual sock liner combines with carbon fiber to adapt to the foot, resulting in a skin-tight design that will keep players safe from injury.

Best Shoes for Baseball: Mizuno 9-Spike Vapor Elite 7

Though its name isn’t as prolific as Nike and Adidas, Mizuno is a leading Japanese shoe company that has long been a favorite of runners.

The company’s 9-Spike Vapor Elite 7 is also a top choice for baseball players of all skill levels, thanks in no small part to its lightweight design, excellent support for the middle of the foot, and its reputation for lending even more stability to players throughout the game.

What Makes it so Great?

The 9-Spike Vapor Elite is one of a few top-notch baseball shoes with an all-metal outsole.

This design choice enhances player stability, makes the shoe even more durable, and gives the shoe the right amount of heft for both running the bases and “digging in” on slippery turf.

Far from rigid, this shoe features a highly flexible ProFlex sole that accommodates the foot and is comfortable for the duration of a game.

Best Shoes for Soccer: Puma evoPOWER 1

Puma is a company perhaps best known for speed, with shoes that enhance running and sprinting for professional athletes around the world.

It was perhaps logical to assume, then, that the company would soon blend its passion for sprinting with its passion for top-notch soccer shoes. The evoPOWER 1, new in 2016, features a design built almost entirely for speed. At just 7.4 ounces, the shoe’s lightweight construction makes it almost “invisible” on the field.

What Makes it so Great?

The shoe’s sole is a “hybrid” sole that blends a traditional soccer cleat with a running shoe. This causes the sole to lean “forward” in a way that amplifies the athlete’s speed.

A skin-tight design reduces irritation, minimizes the risk of injury, and provides for superior comfort throughout all 90 minutes of the game.

Best Shoes for Tennis: ASICS MGEL-Solution Speed 2

Tennis isn’t easy on the body, but a good shoe can help alleviate the pressure and stress placed on joins while playing a fast-paced game.

The GEL-Solution Speed 2, by ASICS, was designed specifically to promote speed and safety during a typical match.

What Makes it so Great?

The shoe features a gel design that extends from the back of the foot to the front. The heel, which is made almost entirely from soft gel, features a foam design that surrounds the gel pocket and gives even protection to the heel, ankle, and knee.

Memory foam inside the shoe provides a tight, accommodating, and comfortable fit that is leaps and bounds ahead of the competition.

Conlcusion

Wearing the wrong shoes can cause many problems for athletes, including everything from muscle strain to hairline bone fractures and recurring, dull pain in the joints.

The shoes listed here are designed to alleviate those concerns, with high-tech designs, top-notch materials, and sturdy construction.

By choosing the right shoe, athletes can protect themselves while enhancing their game at the same time.